TW200301949A - Wafer enclosure sealing arrangement for wafer containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A wafer container comprises a housing with a door frame, defining an opening for insertion and removal of wafers, and a door for insertion into the door frame. The door includes a wafer enclosure sealing arrangement for hermetically sealing the door with the door frame of the housing. The wafer enclosure sealing arrangement includes a first groove disposed about a perimeter of the interior surface of the door and a second groove disposed adjacent to the first groove and spaced laterally from the perimeter of the door. The sealing arrangement includes a support member disposed between the first and second grooves. The sealing arrangement also includes an elastomeric seal member having a first portion that is frictionally inserted into the second groove and extends around the door and a second portion that cantilevers downward into the second groove when the door and housing are joined.

Description

200301949 2. Description of the invention [Technical field to which the invention belongs] The present invention relates to a casing. The invention relates in particular to a sealable enclosure for accommodating a wafer during operation of a semiconductor processing device. [Previous Technology] Semiconductor wafers need to go through multiple procedures during processing. In general, in order to process different equipment in wafer processing, multiple wafers are moved from one workstation to another workstation. During the process, wafers need to be temporarily stored or loaded in containers and transferred to other plants or end users. There is a potential danger that wafers may be exposed to contamination regardless of the environment 'during the wafer transfer. To protect wafers from harmful contaminants, the wafers are stored in special containers, which not only isolates them from external contaminants, but also minimizes the production of contaminants. This type of container usually has a removable door or seal to close the container when closed or another method to close the container with tape. As the number of circuits per unit area of semiconductor wafers increases, the relative ground area of each circuit also decreases, making the problem of contamination more difficult. The appearance of particulate matter can damage the circuit, and its particle size is as small as the molecular level and it is lethal. Particle control is strictly controlled at all stages, including manufacturing, handling, handling and storage. The industry trend is that semiconductor wafers will become larger and larger. 300 mm wafers have become a general specification. The material of the wafer carrier may be a variety of metals, and in most cases it may also include thermoplastics. Early containers include containers and seals, and their constituent materials are molded plastics such as polyethylene (polyethelene), as disclosed in 5 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-〇2 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 United States No. 4, 24, 8, 3, 46 patents. Other containers have a rigid fence (h-ba0 carrier, disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,27 3,159), while others have polycarbonate container parts molded by groove molding, and are softer and more flexible. See the specific example of US Patent No. 5,5 8 6,65 8. Most wafer containers used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment have a sealing body located between the container door and the wafer container shell. 尙Moreover, the wafer container can be hermetically closed with the processing equipment. This type of wafer container is commonly referred to as a SMIF material box (sealed mechanical interface) or a handling module, because the container door closes the bottom of the container or housing opening. These containers need to have strict framework and performance requirements because the containers are exposed to various open and changing environments. In addition, they must be able to be loaded and unloaded by automatic or manual machinery and provide special isolation functions, such as doors After closing, it can adjust the size tightly. The semiconductor processing equipment for 300 mm wafers is a front-opening modular container. The traditional SMIF material box and the module used for handling the module The sealing body is generally a simple elastomer sealing body, and the sealing function is performed by simple compression between the door and the axis of the housing. In this way, the polycarbonate that contacts the housing body with the elastic sealing body sometimes adheres. Inadvertent damage to the sealing body. Frequent opening and closing of the door may cause the position of the sealing body to shift and cause the sealing body part to protrude or shake, which may inadvertently cause the processing equipment to touch the sealing body by mistake and rupture the wafer Serious consequences or the container cannot be sealed properly. Therefore, the sealing arrangement is a necessary component of the wafer shell, so that the sealing of the wafer shell is tightly strengthened, and the movement of the elastic sealing body is avoided. Therefore, we need a solution that can solve the above and other issues. Problematic wafer casing sealing cloth 6 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-〇2 \ 91133363.doc 200301949. [Summary of the Invention] A wafer container includes a housing with a door frame, and an opening is provided for the crystal. Circular insertion and removal, and a door for inserting a door frame. The door includes a wafer housing sealing arrangement for tightly sealing the door and the door of the housing According to one aspect of the present invention, the wafer case is sealedly connected to the door in the wafer case housing, and an inner surface portion of the door is provided in a phase relative to the case when the wafer case is sealed. Connected. The wafer housing sealing arrangement includes a first groove located approximately at the periphery of the inner surface of the door, and a second groove adjacent to the first groove laterally distributed at the periphery of the door. The sealing arrangement includes a support member It is located in the first groove and the second groove. The wafer housing is sealed and arranged with an elastic sealing member having a first component which is inserted into the second groove by friction to extend around the door. In addition, the elastic sealing member 尙 has a second member set to cover the supporting member and the first groove, and when sealing the door and the wafer housing, the second member of the sealing member is set to Bently inserted into the first groove.

In a preferred embodiment, the supporting member of the wafer case sealing arrangement includes a plurality of posts arranged to be engaged with corresponding holes of the sealing member to prevent the sealing member from moving laterally. In this specific example, the sealing member is L-shaped. The second member of the sealing member is longer than the first member and cantilevered. In a specific example, the second member of the sealing member has a non-bending "normal state". And the door has a perimeter flange extending around the perimeter. The peripheral flange is positioned approximately close to the second cantilever member to protect and isolate the second cantilever member. The peripheral flange can also serve as a closing surface between the door and the housing. 7 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 An object and benefit of the present invention is to provide a sealing member (or sealing the periphery of the door firmly to prevent accidental leakage. The present invention is preferably specific The purpose and benefit of one example is to provide a shell sealing arrangement to prevent the elastic sealing member from moving beyond the periphery of the door. The purpose and benefit of a specific embodiment of the present invention is that the crystal sealing arrangement can prevent the sealing member and the crystal when the door is removed. Accidental adhesion occurs between round shells. Another object and benefit of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is that it is easy to replace when it is sealed or when fatigued. [Embodiment] FIG. 1 depicts an open handling module of a prior art 20, which can be used in combination or in combination. The handling module is an abbreviated term meaning a housing (or contents: semiconductor wafer or photomask) for storing or / and transporting a semiconductor wafer. The housing 22 has a door frame 23, and the opening 25 is used for wafer insertion and removal. The housing 22 includes a plurality of wafers 34 fixed during transportation or storage. The door frame 23 is designed as a flange receiving door 24, which includes a Sealing surface 40, wall 42 and latch slot. In use, the definition of the door frame should not be limited to the container part rack or the container's additional frame or an integrated frame of the container. Correctly, the door frame is the housing 22 A part is used for accommodating the door 24. Here: the annotation of the axis can be easily explained. The wafer is inserted and removed from the door as the z-axis. The y-axis is vertical and the x-axis extends laterally. See the figure 2. The door 24 generally includes an inner wall surface 51 which has an outer and peripheral surface 28. When the wafer housing 20 is sealed, the peripheral surface 2 8 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc (Circle circle) can be used to move the outer side of the wafer horizontally, and the outer door frame is damaged and the hair is transported,). In this example, the front slot 32 is shaped to accommodate 46. The separation frame defines the moving line surface 62 that should pass X-y-ζ and is connected to the door frame 8 200301949 23. The door 24 also includes a sealing member 26 extending around the periphery of the door 24 and abutting the periphery of the door 24. The sealing member 26 is used to tightly join the housing 22 when the wafer case 20 is sealed. The door 24 has an axis A 1 and the sealing member has an axis A 2. In order to secure the door to the entry frame, the axes A1 and A2 should be aligned. When the door is snapped into the door frame, the door can move in an axis direction. When referring to "radiated ground", it describes the direction or positioning perpendicular to △ 1 or A2, and cooperates with the sealing member 26 to mean that any direction is perpendicular to a specific part of the sealing member as a purely axially outward from the door. vector. The sealing member 26 may also be represented by a gasket. With reference to Figures 2 to 4, the door 24 includes a housing sealing arrangement 50 located within the door wall surface 51. The door 24 further includes a set of wafer pads 56 which, when the door is in place, provide a function of partially suppressing positional deviations. These wafer pads can be properly attached to the connection points 5 8 by plastic snap-in connectors. The door shell part can be designed so that the contact portion between the above components is only the joint between the sealing body and the door frame and the door guide and the door frame. Alternatively, auxiliary barrier parts can be provided in the shell design, so that when the door is closed to the end, there is still enough space to extend the sealing body. The complete outer surface 62 is not shown in FIG. 1 in order to facilitate the marking of the internal space 64 and the latch mechanism 66. The operation of the above-mentioned latch mechanism can be found in the method disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,71 1,427, which is shared by the present owner and David L. Nyseth. This method is incorporated herein by reference. Referring again to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the housing sealing arrangement 50 includes a first groove 52 formed by a peripheral flange 52.5 and a middle flange 53. The inner wall surface is located around the inner wall surface 51 of the door 24. The second groove 54 is located adjacent to the first groove 52, and its 9 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 is radiantly closer to the periphery of the door. A support member 'is set as the middle flange 5 3 in this specific example, and is located between the grooves 5 2 and 54. The housing sealing arrangement 50 further comprises an elastic sealing member 26 having a first leg member 2 6.1 to frictionally snap into a second groove 54 surrounding the door. The sealing member 26 also includes a second cantilevered member 26.6, which is located at the middle flange / supporting member 53 and covers the first recess. The second cantilever member 26.6 of the sealing member 26 is inclined downward into the first groove 52 when the housing 22 and the door 24 are closed. In this way, the sealing member 2 6 can be prevented from moving beyond the periphery of the door 24 and can be prevented from being caught in other processing equipment when the container 20 is transported in both places. In this specific example, the second cantilever member 26.6 includes a surface 27 and the inner wall surface 51 of the door 24 approximately in the same plane. The width of the sealing member 26 may be 0.530 inch. Referring again to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a specific example of a sealing arrangement for a wafer case according to the present invention is depicted. In this specific example, the supporting member 5 3 includes a plurality of protruding members, which are set as pillars 5. 1 and 3 and are placed vertically between the grooves 5 2 and 5 4 and protrude from the inner wall surface 51. The post 53.1 is engaged while protruding from the sealing member hole 26.9 of the corresponding sealing member 26, thereby preventing the lateral movement of the sealing member 26. The position of the pillar 5 3.1 and the component hole 26.9 is on the periphery of the door 24 (see FIG. 3). In this specific example, the sealing member 26 is L-shaped, and the length of the second cantilever member 26.6 is designed to be longer than that of the first leg member 26.1. In another specific example, the post 53.1 is a flange 5 3. 1 which can be engaged with a corresponding slot. Figures 3 and 4 depict the sealing member 26 from the top and cross section, respectively, which includes a first leg member 26.1, a second cantilever member 26.6, and a sealing member hole 2 6.9. Referring to FIG. 4A for the description of the door 24, the sealing member 26 is not included, including the first groove 52 and the second groove 54 located in the first groove 52. In addition, the pillar 53.1 is located inside the door 24 and faces the periphery of the door. 10 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 The sealing member 26 of the present invention has a second cantilever member 26.6 to provide elastic adjustment, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 4 when the housing is engaged with the door 24 Accommodating housing 22. In this specific example, the housing sealing arrangement 50 includes a first groove 52 and a second groove 54, respectively, and a supporting member 53 and a sealing member 26 are a group that cooperates as an elastic seal between the housing 22 and the door 24. The housing sealing arrangement 50 allows the door to be moved back and forth from the housing 22 without removing the sealing member from its original position. Different from the prior art design, the sealing member 26 is not attached to the door periphery by the peripheral tension. The peripheral tension method is used to cause the sealing member to fall or break after the material is exhausted. The sealing member 26 is recessed in the door 24 to prevent the sealing member from moving or falling off from the door. In a related specific example, the sealing member 26 can be placed on the housing 22 along the door frame 23, but similar grooves 52, 54 and supporting members 53 need to be integrated into the door frame to securely engage the sealing member 26 to prevent the sealing member from falling off or sliding off. 5, 6 and 7, a specific example of another housing sealing arrangement 50 is depicted, in which the sealing member 26 is substantially L-shaped. In this specific example, the first leg member 26.1 is engaged with a groove 54 formed in the door 24. In order to strengthen the supporting member 26.1, it has a part protruding from the direction of the inner wall surface 51 and the upper surfaces 27.1 and 2 7 · 2, thereby not only providing the frame with enhanced strength but also the elasticity of the cantilever member 2 6 · 6. The upper surface 2 7.1 is parallel to the upper surface 2 7 · 2 but not in the same plane. In this specific example, the cantilever member 2 6 · 6 also includes a head member 26.8 that extends into or engages with the first groove 52 when the housing is engaged with the door 24. Referring to Fig. 6B, the height of the member 53.1 of this specific example is the same as that of the upper surface 27.1 of the sealing member 26. In this specific example, the member 531 provides lateral support for the sealing member 26. FIG. 7 depicts the details of the skewed state of the sealing member 11 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 hole 2 6.9 when the door 24 is engaged with the door frame 23 of the housing 22 example. Please note that the top or head of the head part 2 6.8 of the sealing member must not touch the bottom 52.1 of the first groove 52 before the door and the door frame stop before a joint 60, for example. In a specific example, the main frame members of the wafer housing 20, particularly the door frames, can be molded from rigid plastics such as polycarbonate. Similarly, the main door frame components including the grooves 5 2, 5 4 and the supporting member 5 3 and the flange 5 3.1 can also be molded by polycarbonate. The wafer pad can be made of abrasion-resistant polymer plastic such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). The elastic sealing member 26 may be made of an elastomer such as Viton® provided by DuPont, or a general ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene rubber monomer or similar elastic material. The present invention can be variously exemplified without departing from the spirit and basic characteristics of the present invention; therefore, this specific example should be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the accompanying patent application. Restricted and not limited by the above description. [Brief Description of the Drawings] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wafer carrier or container including one of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the interior of the wafer case door, roughly depicting a part of a specific example of a sealing arrangement of a wafer case according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating a wafer case door according to a specific example of a wafer case sealing arrangement according to the present invention. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a wafer case door connected to a sealing member according to a specific example of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating another specific example of a wafer case door without a seal 12 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92_〇2 \ 91133363.doc 200301949. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a wafer housing door and a sealing member according to the present example: stomach & stomach. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a pillar of the wafer case door of the specific example in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the wafer case door connected to the door of the specific example in FIG. 5. FIG. [Description of component symbols] 20 Wafer container 22 Housing 23 Door frame 2 4 Door 25 Front opening 26 Seal member 26.1 First leg member 26.6 Second cantilever member 26.8 Head member 26.9 Seal member hole 27 Surface 27.1 > 27.2 Upper surface 28 Peripheral surface 32 Slot hole 34 Wafer 40 Sealing surface 42 Wall surface 46 Latch slot 13

326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92_〇2 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 50 Out 5 1 In 52 52 52.1 Bottom 52.5 Week 53 In 53.1 Column 54 56 56 58 60 60 62 Out 64 In 66 Latch shell sealing arrangement Wall surface one groove part edge inter flange flange / support member two groove round pad contact surface surface space mechanism 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc

Claims (1)

200301949 Patent application scope 1 · A wafer case sealing arrangement is used for a front opening wafer case door. One of the inner surface of the door is connected to the case when sealing the wafer case. The sealing arrangement of the round shell includes: a first groove, which is located at the periphery of the inner surface of the door; a second groove, which is adjacent to the first groove, is laterally distributed at the periphery of the door, and the first groove and the first groove The two grooves are set to be separated by a support member; and an elastic sealing member having a first member is set to be inserted into the second groove by a friction force to extend around the door, and in addition the cymbal has a second The component is configured to cover the supporting member and the first groove, and when the door and the wafer housing are sealed, the second component of the sealing member is configured to be bent into the first groove. 2. The sealing arrangement of the wafer case according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the supporting member includes a plurality of protruding members, which are set to be engaged with corresponding holes of the sealing member to prevent the sealing member from moving laterally ° 3. The wafer casing sealing arrangement according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the second component of the sealing member is set to extend from the first component in a cantilever manner. 4. The sealing arrangement of the wafer casing according to item 3 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the sealing member is L-shaped, and the second component length design of the sealing member is longer than the first component of the sealing member. 5. The sealing arrangement of the wafer casing according to item 2 of the patent application scope, wherein the protruding member is at least one of the group consisting of a pillar and a flange, and protrudes outward from the inner surface of the door. 15 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplements) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 6 · As for the wafer case sealing arrangement of item 3 of the patent application scope, wherein the second part of the sealing member includes a head part, and The first component of the sealing member is laterally distributed, and is configured to form a sealing body to be isolated from the outside when the wafer housing is closed. 7. The sealing arrangement of the wafer shell according to item 丨 of the patent application range, wherein the sealing member is recessed on the peripheral surface of the door. ^ 8 The sealing arrangement of the wafer case according to item 7 of the patent application scope, wherein the sealing member includes an upper surface, which is substantially on the same plane as the inner surface of the door. Spring 9 · The wafer sealing arrangement according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the sealing member is used to extend laterally beyond one and a half length of the second part of the sealing member. 1 〇. A wafer casing sealing member for a wafer casing door, the casing door includes a first groove, located approximately at the periphery of the inner surface of the door, the wafer casing sealing member includes: a first The component is inserted into a second groove by friction, and the second groove is laterally distributed on the periphery of the door adjacent to the first groove and a second component is provided to cover the first groove and the device. In order to cover a supporting member for separating the first groove and the second groove, when sealing the door and a wafer housing, a second part of the sealing member is set to be bent and inserted into the In the first groove. 1 1. If the wafer sealing member of item 10 of the patent application scope further includes a plurality of holes, it is set to be engaged with a corresponding plurality of protruding-members protruding from the supporting member to prevent the sealing member Move laterally. 1 2. As for the wafer shell sealing member of item 11 in the scope of patent application, of which 16 32G \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-〇2 \ 911: 33363.doc 200301949 The protruding member is a column and flange. Make up at least one of the groups. 1 3. The wafer case sealing member of claim 10, wherein the second member of the sealing member extends from the first member in a cantilever manner. 1 4 · The wafer case sealing member according to item 13 of the patent application scope, wherein the second member includes a head member and is laterally distributed with the first member of the sealing member. 15 · The wafer housing sealing member according to item 11 of the patent application scope, wherein the plurality of holes are elongated and located on the same plane as the second groove. 16. The wafer housing sealing member according to claim 10, wherein a top surface of a first member of the sealing member and a top surface of a second member of the sealing member are not located on the same plane. 17. A wafer housing comprising: a housing configured to accommodate a plurality of wafers; and a door configured to close the housing in a sealed manner and including a wafer housing sealing arrangement, wherein the wafer housing is sealed The arrangement includes: a first groove located at the periphery of the inner surface of the door; a second groove adjacent to the first groove and laterally distributed at the periphery of the door; the first groove and the second groove It is configured to be separated by a supporting member; and an elastic sealing member having a first member is set to be inserted into the second groove by friction to extend around the door, and in addition, a second member is set to The support member and the first groove are covered, and when the door and the wafer housing are sealed, the second component of the seal member is configured to be bent into the first groove. 17 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-02 \ 91133363.doc 200301949 1 8. If the wafer shell of the 17th scope of the patent application is applied for, 'Which of these branches? The inch-shaped member includes a plurality of posts which are arranged to be engaged with corresponding holes of the sealing member to prevent the sealing member from moving laterally. 19. The wafer housing of claim 18, wherein the sealing member is L-shaped, and the second member of the sealing member is cantilevered and designed to be longer than the first member of the sealing member. 20. The wafer housing according to item 17 of the patent application scope, wherein the sealing member further includes a head member, which is located on the second member and is laterally distributed with the first member. 18 326 \ Patent Specification (Supplement) \ 92-〇2 \ 91133363.doc